Eyes!!!

Finn nose color filling in

Finn's eyes opened  on Monday!  Dale noticed that he was sitting, holding his head up higher than he has before, and seemed to be orienting to visual stimuli. And while fully functional vision isn't really expected until 3-4 days after the initial opening,.he oriented toward Dale and started his wobbly way over to see him!  Incredible!  Just as with human children, folks that study dog development have partitioned puppy development into stages and eye opening commences that period known as the "Transitional" period.  My books tell me that this stage is characterized by increased motor skills (including tail wagging!), the onset of functional vision, emergence of teeth, the development of hearing and the ability to eliminate on his own (though I've seen Finn eliminate on his own, actually several days ago!)  Of all of the things that are expected to happen in this period, perhaps I am most excited about seeing his tail wag for the first time.  A dog's tail is so important for communication and I am dying to see what Finn will "tell" us!:)   The Transitional period ends when the pup is capable of startling to a noise. 

Finn's eyes opened Day 13

It won't be long before Finn will be up and about and underfoot! And we'll be looking for as many new and safe experiences as we can find.  Katrina spends more time away from the whelping box now, though still running to Finn's side when he whimpers.  We have also renovated our dining room into a large puppy play area, lined it temporarily with linoleum for easy cleaning, added a crate to allow Finn to start learning about his own special "cave" and made plans for adding new toys and obstacles on a regular basis to keep his brain developing!  The hardest part will be making sure he gets the proper exposure to other dogs, but where there's a will, there's got to be a way.  And since we've got the will....well, we'll find the way!

Finn nose color

Finn is 10 days old today.  It's a cliche but time really does fly when you're having fun.  And it's not that I want Finn to stay this little forever,but it's just such a thrill to watch him develop.  A couple of days ago I noticed that if I scratch him just above his shoulder he has a little scratch reflex.  So very cute!  And I'm also watching his nose color change.  As he ages, his nose should start filling in as black.  Here you can see that he's got two perfect little black dots by his nostrils and it's so cool how his color pattern from his upper lip continues onto his bottom lip.  Shows you how those color patterns get laid down during embyronic development.  He is now 38.6 ounces, so he is averaging a gain of a little over 2 oz each day.  He is also getting up on all fours, only to quiver for a for a few seconds and then collapse!  His neck muscles are developing and I notice that he can hold his head up much higher and for much longer than he could a couple of days ago.  I also saw him lick his blanket today!  All that much closer to giving kisses ! Ha!

One Week Old!

Finn, reclining on a paw...aaaaaaahh :)

Finn, nose first

Mr. Finn has made his first week birthday!  His weight this morning was 32 oz.  Oh my goodness that's big for a one week old baby.  Predicted weight would be 29 oz.  so he is a little ahead of the curve. We'll keep an eye on his weight gain.  Although it doesn't seem to impair him, as this morning he was up on all fours and trying to walk!  It's incredible how these little creatures mature so quickly.  We should expect his eyes to open the end of this week, and of course I can hardly wait.  While I know he is connected to his world via tactile, thermal and olfactory signals right now, as a human and so dependent on visual information, there seems to be something so special about being able to gaze into a little's tykes eyes.  Windows to the soul?  I don't know, but I can't wait!

Katrina & Finn

While Finn grows, I read.  One of my guides as been Canine Reproduction: The Breeder's Guide (3rd Ed.) by Phyllis A. Holst, MS, DVM (ISBN 157779-114-2).  While I absolutely don't consider myself a breeder, this book outlines the whole process from deciding if one should breed to reproductive problems.  Early on (a whole 2 weeks ago!)  I read through Puppy Intensive Care: A Breeder's Guide to Care of Newborn Puppies by Myra Savant-Harris, R.N. (ISBN 1-929242-24-7) and it's quite apparent that Myra is a nurse.  The book includes a DVD and great information especially regarding what one should have on hand if one find herself saving a premature, sick or orphaned pup (quite glad I didn't have to use much in this one).  Finally, I am scouring Another Piece of the Puzzle: Puppy Development edited by Pat Hastings & Erin Ann Rouse (ISBN: 978-0-9678414-2-7).  Absolutely fascinating!  I've read a lot of this material here and there before, but never with my own babe in my own dining room!  This book is a compilation of essays written by various folks on various components of pup development and how to do it "right!"  One interesting idea is to include a litter box in the pen area after pup is about 21 days old.  Peat (Finn's sire) was bred and raised to 9 weeks with Loretta Mueller of Full Tilt Border Collies and she used this method!  Peat was a snap to housebreak!  So, little Finn, you'll be having a box all your own! :) 

Day 5 - Super Puppy

On Chris Bach's recommendation, we are using the Super Puppy program developed by Dr. Carmen Battaglia. The program recommends performing five short little exercises every day that are designed to enhance early neural development.  Click here to see Dr. Battaglia's paper and a description of the exercises.  These exercises are recommended for any puppy, but seem particularly important for a single!  Plus anything that puts me touching little Finn makes my heart sing!

Finn is growing like a weed and the expectation is that he will double in size by his first week's birthday.  We have to watch that he doesn't get too heavy!  But there is no doubt he's growing and that Katrina is producing enough milk.  This is a period of rapid growth, so we are watching and measuring him everyday.  We are noticing that he is spending more time sleeping away from Katrina and she is spending a little bit of time outside the whelping box, though ever vigilant for any whimper that brings her instantly to his side! We have a heating pad in the box for supplemental heat when Katrina is briefly away, but it seems as though he stays on it only for a short period of time and then crawls away to a secluded corner to snooze.  He seems particularly fond of  crawling under a towel or blanket. This is one incredible ride.!

He's Here!!!

Finn, 4 days old

Finn developing his proprioceptory system

The wait is over, Katrina had her pup on Valentine's Day.  Twenty-four hours in first stage labor without advancement forced the decision to take the pup by c-section. We knew from previous ultrasound and xray evaluations that she was carrying only one pup.  Seeing that she was primiparous and carrying a singleton, the chances of complications with a standard delivery were higher than normal.  So, with fantastic support of the staff at the Animal Medical Center in Marquette and the expertise of Dr. Laura Klar, Dr. Kellie Holmstrom and Dr. Jo Gerrish, little Finn is doing great and is on day four of his existence on this planet with us!  He is absolutely beautiful and Katrina is finding her way as a new mom.  Singleton pups face their own set of challenges, but a singleton with a first-time mom even more!  Very soon after the birth it was clear that Katrina was a little unsure of her pup, as she lifted her lip when initially introduced to him. Still, the wonder of nature is something to see unfold.    Initially groggy from surgery, within 18-24 hours Katrina began responding  to Finn's every  squeak and squeal, presenting her teats for nursing and generally behaving like a doting mom.   Lots of questions, lots of reading and lots of research has made me keenly aware of the many issues to watch for in any neonatal pup, but also of those that are even more pressing since Finn is an "only." We will be watching his weight carefully, making sure Katrina is cleaning him properly, making sure she is not developing mastitis in unused nipples, making sure he is staying warm, and this list goes on and on.  One area that we must be sure to address is the necessity of making sure he has physical contact with objects (like the wadded up towel, above) as he would in a litter of pups. 

As a dog behaviorist, I have seen a lot, but I have never until now whelped a litter.  While I have always appreciated careful and involved breeders, I now  have an even greater appreciation for the dedication and commitment required to produce a healthy, well-rounded pup.  Tomorrow I'll write about the program we're using to create a "Super Pup."

Kona the Guard Llama

Kona our new Guard

 Kona is our new guard for the flock.  While we have been very fortunate to have no trouble so far with coyotes, wolves, bears or domestic dogs hassling the flock, we are also aware that prevention is a much better option than trying to "fix" the problem once it occurs.  While we toyed with the idea of a guard dog, I wasn't sure that our operation could successfully keep a dog confined, and, of course, content.   A guard llama seemed a perfect solution.  So, with a little help from our good friend Dee Heinrich, we found and purchased Kona.

Since we move our sheep twice daily (once to pasture in the morning and again back home in the evening) with our border collies, Peat & Katrina, we weren't sure how Kona would respond to their presence.  And what we've learned is that he is remarkably tolerant.  I am no longer worried that he will injure them.  However, we've also discovered that he definitely does not behave like a sheep!  He behaves perfectly like a guard llama!  This means that he sometimes acts like an independent thinker, which means when we are bringing the flock to and fro, he will split from the group and look for the greener pastures.  Our remedy was to keep Kona on a lead rope until it is crystal clear that he is committed to following the sheep.  This has worked well, along with making sure we reinforce his correct decisions.  He loves grain, and making it available if and only when he moves with the group to and from pasture has worked quite well.

Kona sampling White Pine needles

Kona was a 4H project so is quite familiar with being led on a line.  He was also meticulously groomed when he arrived; before arrival here, he was recently sheared with a barrel cut(sheared around his mid-section) to keep him cooler during the rest of our hot, dry summer.

Kona with "his" flock

Kona is a valuable addition to the care and management of our flock.  As long as he continues to help us meet our mission of keeping our flock healthy and free of damage (and not making his management another arduous task!), he will have a home here for a long time!

Shearing 2011

Ewes waiting in pen

Shearing came on June 2nd this year. First we had to group the ewes in the pen in the pole barn and then we had to pluck the lambs out and return them to the barn to avoid them being injured in such tight quarters.  My friend, Paula, owner of the Knit-N-Purl yarn shop in Marquette helped shuttle lambs!  (The final count on lambs is eighteen!)

Plucking lambs from the holding pen to return to the barn

 Unlike last year, we haven't really had that many really hot days up to now, but the sheep were obviously relieved to rid themselves of the pounds of wool they accumulate all year.  Our shearer comes from Wisconsin and shears most of the local flocks in our area.  Very skilled and very talented, he is painfully aware of the necessity of taking the fleeces carefully for my hand spinning customers so as to avoid second cuts which are not favored.  Still, it takes less than five minutes from beginning to end for each sheep:

First blows

Each sheep is sheared using the same pattern

Almost done

Finished....naked sheep! :)

 This year we had several folks show up to watch, and as a surprise to some, help with various tasks along the way.  Our neighbors, Isaac and Nancy, are fans of our sheep and drive by several times a week to laugh at the lambs as they gallop in the fields and jump on the knoll in the pasture.  Today they were here to see shearing for the first time...and we put them to work.

Nancy reassuring the sheep in the raceway

Isaac helping load the raceway by manning the gate

 Once the fleeces are off, it is critical to get them gathered and labeled so that there is no confusion about which fleece came from which sheep.  Our friend Karan volunteered for this important task.

Karan waiting for the next fleece

All in all, the job was done in about two hours from setup to finish.  The weather was beautiful, we had great help and the fleeces are now ready for skirting and preparation for processing or sale.  The fleeces were really impressive this year and I will post pictures of them on the farm website as soon as they are ready!  Shearing is a great time of year and is the culmination of a year's worth of careful feeding and lots of management to assure that they are as clean and as luxurious as they can possibly be.  Next year will see an even larger number of CVM/Romeldale and Romney fleeces; I'm looking forward to it already!:)